“Hedda” only came onto my radar very recently. Starring Tessa Thompson in the titular role, this romance drama is an adaptation of the acclaimed 1891 stage play “Hedda Gabler,” and it made its debut this September at the Toronto International Film Festival before a brief theatrical run this past week. Now, it makes its Prime Video debut today (Oct. 29), and having seen it for myself, I can declare it’s an absolute must-watch.
For those unfamiliar with the story, “Hedda” centers around Hedda Tesman née Garbler. She’s the illegitimate child of a late general, and she has seemingly settled into a life of domesticity despite a hinted-at wild past, living in an opulent manor with her husband George (Tom Bateman). They are hosting a party for professors at the local university, including one Professor Greenwood (Finbar Lynch), with the hopes that a lively night of entertainment will secure George a professorship at the nearby institution.
Hedda – Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube
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Of course, things rarely go as planned, even when you’re not in a drama where the script demands that things go off the rails. As Hedda begins to prepare the house for the evening’s festivities, she receives a call from a certain Eileen Lovborg (Nina Hoss), who reveals she’ll be in attendance that evening. This seemingly throws Hedda, and the night now seems doomed to spiral out of control.
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Mild spoilers for “Hedda” ahead
Tessa Thompson commands the room and the screen in ‘Hedda’
(Image credit: Parisa Taghizadeh/Prime Video)
Watching “Hedda,” I can’t help but think of “Saltburn,” another twisted romance drama (of sorts) that hit it big on Prime Video. Both even feature an end credits needle drop that will stick with you. But where “Saltburn” floundered, “Hedda” succeeds, maintaining a smoldering, tense drama throughout its 107-minute runtime.
Thompson completely slips into that persona of a woman in control. She keeps your attention throughout, daring you to pick up your phone and miss her machinations as she tries to steer things to her end purposes.
At the center is Thompson’s Hedda. While Hedda may seem thrown by Eileen’s reemergence in her life at the start of the movie. By the end, it’s clear that Hedda is someone who’s constantly in control. Or at least, she thinks she’s constantly in control even to the story’s bitter end.
Thompson completely slips into that persona of a woman in control, and it’s an excellent performance. She keeps your attention throughout the film, daring you to pick up your phone and miss her machinations throughout the evening, as she tries to steer things to her end purposes.
Her chemistry with … well, nearly everyone, is palpable, but in particular with Eileen. From the first moment we see them together, it’s clear their past is romantic, but the depths of their drama require almost the entire movie to explore. That’s not a bad thing, given that it means much of the movie is spent with Thompson and Hoss together in a room, and that’s easily the movie’s biggest strength.
So go check out “Hedda” for yourself if you love a tense drama with some scandalous moments sprinkled throughout. You won’t regret giving this romance drama an evening.
Stream “Hedda” on Prime Video now
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